SA Affordable Housing September - October 2019 // ISSUE: 78 | Page 13

COVER STORY
itself to creating change in the construction industry,
especially in such a prestigious organisation as
SAFCEC.”
Katleho’s inspiration comes from seeing how the
construction platform is gradually changing to embrace
women in ownership and senior management positions
in an industry that has otherwise been known to have a
long history of male domination.
“It is inspiring to wake up every day knowing you are
working to not only change the infrastructure of the
country, but the way in which women are perceived
within it. I am proud to work for a female-owned
construction company,” states Katleho proudly.
The company frequently undertakes projects financed
by government, including SOEs such as the
Development Bank of Southern Africa as well as the
Public Investment Corporation. Most recent projects
include the Germiston BVD water network upgrade for
DBSA and Ekurhuleni Metro Municipality, and the
refurbishment of UIF Building at Thohoyandou in
Venda, Limpopo.
The company also undertakes projects for private
sector client projects, including Mowana Properties and
Broll Properties.
Its largest project to date was the construction of
the Steelpoort Pump Station for TCTA (Trans-Caledon
Tunnel Authority, a state-owned entity charged with
financing and implementing bulk raw water
infrastructure projects) in Burgersfort, Mpumalanga,
which commenced at a project value of R30-million,
but the scope was increased to R75-million due to
their performance. It was a completely new pump
station, with Basil Read the main contractor in this
instance. “We started off commissioned to only do the
shell of the building, but ended up doing almost
everything. The pipeline linked the pump station to
pipelines linking a local dam and various reservoirs,”
says Katleho.
A large part of its portfolio consists of the installation
of water infrastructure, such as:
• the installation of a water pipeline in Roodeplaat
Nature Reserve in Pretoria;
• the realignment of the Dekema outfall sewer line
repairs in Wadeville;
• the replacement of 110 HDPE high pressure pipes
for a water supply in Germiston;
• the replacement of an asbestos pipeline in
Morningside, the Riverclub pipe replacement
project.
Logistics is the major challenge of a rural project of this
nature, with all raw materials having to come from
elsewhere, she says.
Katleho explains that in all its ventures the company
has been the main contractor, subcontracting where
necessary but in most instances undertaking all the
work on its own. In accordance with tender regulations
it hires artisans and workers in proximity to each
project site and manages them. “We maintain a lean
head office of 13 to 15 people which includes
experienced contract and project managers. It works for
us strategically to hire people locally, and we find there
is no shortage of such skills albeit sometimes they may
not have the official qualification. They can do the work,
www.saaffordablehousing.co.za
PROJECT PIPELINE
Further development at Steelpoort pump station.
sometimes better than a recently qualified artisan
because they may have decades of experience.”
For a company that gets the bulk of its work from
government, Katleho says her main desire would be for
greater transparency in the tender process. All its
business comes from tenders, and she applies for as
many as four tenders a week. “The challenge is that we
get minimal or no feedback at all on each tender, and no
idea whether or why we were not successful. The flip
side is that if we were to win all four tenders for that
particular week we would be severely constrained on
our resources, both financially and human capital.
Greater transparency would enable everyone to channel
their resources more effectively,” she says.
Anquet Construction Solutions is a full member of
Master Builders Association North and SAFCEC.
For more information visit www.anquet.co.za
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2019
11